Southern California -- this just in

Cali Swag District mourns slaying of hip-hop artist M-Bone

Members of the Hip-Hop group Cali Swag District mourned the shooting death of Montae “M-Bone” Talbert , who died in a drive-by shooting Sunday in his hometown of Inglewood.

Police, meanwhile, were searching for suspects and trying to determine a motive. The group's publicist said Talbert was the victim of random violence.

A tearful Cali Swag District C-Smoove told KABC-TV Channel 7 that he was trying to make sense of the slaying. "I cant experience it. It just hurts," he said. "He was the life of the group. He made us laugh. He was the energy."

Group publicist Greg Miller said Talbert, 22, was shot when he stopped at a liquor store on his way home from the studio, where his group was recording its debut album, “Kickback.”

“It was a completely random occurrence,” Miller said. “This was a really good kid. He was not involved in mischief.”

The group's manager told KABC that the members had no gang ties or criminal pasts.

Cali Swag District set off an international dance craze with its recording and video “Teach Me How to Dougie.” Talbert, a dancer and promoter before joining the group, was its “comedic entertainer,” Miller said.

“With this song, they reached people of all demographics and celebrities,” Miller said.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Miller asked that anyone with information about the crime contact Inglewood police homicide investigators at (310) 412-5246.

Talbert was shot twice in the head Sunday night in the 400 block of North La Brea Avenue, said Lt. Steve Overly of the Inglewood Police Department, when someone pointed a gun out a car window and fired multiple shots.

Talbert died later at a hospital.

For the record, 6:36 p.m. May 16: A previous version of this post misspelled Talbert's first name as Mante.